Sonoma FourTrack for iPhone

[Ted]

Sitting in the dentists chair today, reading the current Rolling Stone, I saw a sidebar article about Trey Anastasio using the Sonoma FourTrack iPhone App to capture his raw ideas.

I'm obsessed with this recording app on my iPhone- the Sonoma Wire Works FourTrack. It's like you have a superpowerful studio in your pocket. I can record basically anywhere. Like, I was having lunch with a friend Steve Pollak in New York recently; he brought a bunch of lyrics, and we stared writing on the spot-we were on the corner of 94th and Amsterdam, singing harmonies and bass lines at the top of our lungs into the earpiece. People eventually started gathering around us. The demo captured that whole vibe-the excitement of being out on the street. I don't think I would've even remembered the melody by the time I got home. We took it to band practice, learned the tune right off the demo, didn't change one thing. And now we're going to play the song, "Show of Life," on this summer's tour.

Here's a video showing a song being created using the app.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKITWfS41zw

I don't think it can hold a candle to the Micro BR.  There are no virtual tracks, for example.

But think about the cheap cameras in cell phones.  You don't always have your high-megapixel camera with you.  Some times the best camera is the only camera you have on you when the opportunity arrives.  I think the same could be true for an app like this one.

I occasionally capture song ideas on my cell phone using the simple voice memo feature. Imagine that on steroids and with tail fins... and lipstick.

[launched]

Very cool looking iPhone app. But, alas, that is "iWhat?" in my world. Works great with Exchange, and that's all I care about... But it can tell you what song is playing on the radio!

That YouTube vid of The 88 is a prime example of garbage in/garbage out. They didn't mess around - With that kind of talent, preparation and effort, I don't think it's going to matter what device is used to record with. True Frank Black mentality.

On that note, I'm glad the MBR has enough gimmickry to "fix" my tracks after I've sloppily laid them down... 

[Ted]

That YouTube vid of The 88 is a prime example of garbage in/garbage out. They didn't mess around - With that kind of talent, preparation and effort, I don't think it's going to matter what device is used to record with.

I just noticed that they finished and mastered the song on some kind of DAW, so it wasn't a 100% iPhone project.

I like how they recorded the drums.  That was ingenious.

I don't have an iPhone either.  Don't want one. For my day-to-day pocket contents, I won't carry around any device that I can't afford to lose or break once a year.  I have a cheap iPod Nano, and a $50 phone.

However, I'd be tempted to get one (or an iPod Touch) if/when there's an app that exceeds the power and usability of the Micro BR--but it would stay safely at home.

[launched]

I just noticed that they finished and mastered the song on some kind of DAW, so it wasn't a 100% iPhone project.

Yeah, I saw that. I wonder what the hell they plugged the iPhone into. Looked pretty cool.

I like how they recorded the drums.  That was ingenious.

I saw that too - looked like a junior kit.